The UK is woefully underprepared to deal with an ageing population according to a report that has demanded changes to health and social care.
A House of Lords cross-party committee cited figures from the Office for National Statistics which predict a 50% rise in the number of over-65s and a doubling in over-85s between 2010 and 2030.
While agreeing that longer life is a "gift" to be welcomed, the committee said that unless the Government acts swiftly, it can be expected to cause "a series of crises" in society and public services.
The report called on the Government to publish a white paper before the 2015 General Election setting out how England needs to prepare for an older population.
Lord Filkin, chairman of the Lords Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change, said: "The amazing gift of longer life is to be welcomed.
"But our society and politicians need to address the implications, and the changes needed to attitudes, policies and services so people are best able to benefit from it.
"This is not a distant issue; our population is older now and will get more so over the next decade. The public are entitled to an honest conversation about the implications."
The committee called for two cross-party commissions to be set up to report by 2016 on action to be taken to get ready for an older society.
One commission should work with employers and financial services providers to improve pensions, savings and equity release schemes.
The other should look at organisational and funding changes needed in the health and social care system.
The committee said that the current NHS and care system is already "failing" older people and is "inappropriate" to deal with the expected large increase in elderly people, a sizeable proportion of whom will have long-term health conditions.
A Government spokesman said: "We already have an ambitious programme in place across Government to understand and better meet the needs of an ageing population.
"We are making radical changes to our pension system to encourage more people to save for their retirement."
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